


If Only It Was You

by DeliriousOrange



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, let these idiots kiss please i'm dying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeliriousOrange/pseuds/DeliriousOrange
Summary: A night out for the detective leads to feelings of jealousy for Adam and an argument between them that makes them both say things they hadn't meant to.
Relationships: Female Detective/Adam du Mortain
Comments: 7
Kudos: 93





	If Only It Was You

**Author's Note:**

> this got too long oops. Mainly wanted to write Adam reacting to my detective dressed up and it turned into this. Double oops. Hope at least somebody likes this, cos i'm on the fence about it personally.

Rachel tugged the hemline of her dress down toward her knees for what felt like the thousandth time; the hot, sticky air of the bar she was currently stuffed into doing nothing to help calm her nerves. The ridiculous heels Tina had insisted she wear stuck to the floor with every wobbly step she took in the damn things- which was the main reason she had been perched on a stool in the quietest corner of the bar for most of the night.

She could count on one hand the number of times she had dressed up like this in her life; Rachel had never put much effort into her appearance besides brushing her hair and making sure she smelled okay. And she had always preferred practical clothes to stylish ones. She never did like to stand out.

But it was Tina’s birthday- the fact evident by the bright pink feather boa the woman had wrapped around her neck and the equally gaudy plastic crown on her head- and she had only asked for two things from Rachel.

One, that they go out to the loudest, rowdiest bar in the big city and get absolutely plastered. (Well, Tina would. Rachel was more than happy to play designated driver).

And two, that she be allowed to dress Rachel up like she was her own personal Barbie Doll.

It could have been worse, she supposed; Tina would never make her wear anything she was extremely uncomfortable with and the simple blue dress was actually quite flattering on her. It revealed more of her cleavage and legs than she was used to, but some part of her found it nice to get out of her work clothes for a change. Tina had also insisted on doing her hair and makeup, and while the heaviness of the mascara on her eyelashes took some getting used to, it felt… nice, to be dressed up and looking pretty.

A not so tiny part of her wondered what  _ he  _ would think of her.

Rachel blinked the thought away as Tina returned to their table with two drinks in her hand, along with something she was pretty sure she couldn’t order at the bar- two men.

She couldn’t help the small, annoyed sigh that escaped her. Tina had promised her that this would be a girl’s night out only, part of the reason she had agreed to it in the first place. She had no interest in dating, there was no room in her life for it at the moment. She ignored the voice in her head that told her that wasn’t completely true, that her interest narrowed down to a single person, and instead turned her attention to her friend and the two guys she had in tow.

Tina already had an apologetic smile on her face by the time Rachel narrowed a glare at her. She hopped up on the stool next to her, adjusting her tight pink dress that matched her boa and her equally bright lipstick. “They’re doctors!” she whispered loudly as an apology of sorts. “And the tall one is really into me! Please Rachel, it’s my birthday!”

Rachel heaved a sigh of annoyance, brushing her hair away from her face and messing up the curls Tina had spent almost an hour on. “Fine. But you’re just getting a card next year.”

Tina’s grin grew even wider and she planted a kiss on Rachel’s cheek, staining her skin with lipstick as she handed her a glass of water. “You’re the best! And the other one’s pretty cute too.  _ And  _ he asked about you.”

A frown tugged down on Rachel’s lips, but before she could respond the two doctors were taking the empty seats at their table. They  _ were  _ cute, she supposed. Not bad to look at by any means. But it was like something was missing when she looked at them. Because they weren’t-

Again, she shook her rogue thoughts away and tried to focus on the conversation taking place around her. Tina had hit it off with the tall one and Rachel knew there was no way her friend would be going home alone that night. The other one, who she quickly learned was named Ben, did seem to take an interest in her. He asked her all sorts of questions about herself and seemed genuinely interested when she talked about her job. And he  _ was  _ cute. And smart. And he had a nice smile. And maybe if-

She closed her eyes and all she saw were icy green ones staring back at her.

Swallowing hard and trying to ignore the hollow feeling in her gut, Rachel finished her water and suddenly wished that she hadn’t agreed to be the sober one that night. Maybe a shot of vodka would get _ him _ out of her head and let her actually enjoy her evening. Just as she was debating with herself whether the expensive cab ride home would be worth it, her phone suddenly went off next to her empty glass.

Glancing at the name, she shot Tina and the others an apologetic smile as she stood up, though Ben was the only one who seemed to pay attention. Tina was so wrapped up in her doctor, she might have never noticed that Rachel was gone in the first place.

She stumbled in her heels, trying not to trip as she made it out of the bar into the cooler, quieter night. As soon as she was outside, she took a deep breath and answered her phone. “Hey, Nate. What’s up?”

_ “Good evening, Rachel. I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”  _ In the background, she could barely hear Farah shout something she was sure wasn’t appropriate, given Nate’s grumble and the shuffling on the other end as he moved farther away.

“Of course not.” She was glad for the interruption, she realized. It distracted her from the warring emotions inside of her that had suddenly stirred up. “What do you need?”

_ “There was another attack outside of town tonight, I’m afraid. No one was hurt, but whatever is causing these attacks got away. Do you think it would be possible for you to come by the warehouse?” _

Rachel sighed, the news of more attacks making her shoulders stiffen. Focusing on work, however, allowed her to shove her feelings to the back of her mind. “Of course, I’ll be there. I’m in the city right now, so it’ll be about an hour.”

Thankfully, Nate didn’t ask what she was doing in the city so late.  _ “Excellent. Thank you, Rachel. See you soon.” _

“See you soon, Nate.”

After waiting ten seconds while Nate struggled and lightly cursed his way through ending the phone call, Rachel barely restrained her laughter and ended it herself. After smoothing her dress down once more, she wobbled back inside the bar and beelined straight for her table. Ben the doctor smiled at her as soon as he saw her, leaving a hollow pang in her stomach as she tried to halfheartedly smile back. Her focus immediately went to Tina, however, who was still wrapped around her own man.

She could only hope that Tina was distracted enough by the prospect of going home with him not to be upset that Rachel was about to bail on her birthday. “Tina, I’m so sorry, but something came up. I have to go,” she said as she snatched up her jacket and purse. She tried her best to ignore the way Ben’s face fell as she shrugged her coat on.

Tina, bless her heart, didn’t seem to mind. Though that probably had everything to do with the attractive man wrapped around her, whispering in her ear. “Huh? Oh, sure Rachel. Get home safe.” She immediately turned her attention back to her date, a flirtatious smile on her lips.

Rachel placed her hand on Tina’s shoulder to draw her attention back. “Are you sure you’ll be okay, Tina?” She didn’t know how she felt leaving Tina alone in a bar with strangers, but she knew the woman could handle herself and would break the face of anyone who would try something.

Tina nodded distractedly and waved her away. Rachel sighed and let her hand drop before pulling her purse over her shoulder. After making Tina promise that she would text her when she got home safe, she gave Ben an awkward nod goodbye before making her way to her car. He looked more than disappointed at her sudden departure and a part of her did feel guilty. She knew it was for the best, however. Everything was too… complicated.

It would never work out.

Not when- She tried to shake that thought away, like she had with every other that night, but it clung to her mind like spiderwebs.

_ Not when there was Adam. _

An hour later, Rachel was stumbling through the warehouse trying not to break her ankle in those damn heels. She had some clothes stashed in her room there and planned to change as soon as she checked in with the rest of the team. She did take her shoes off as soon as she was past the dilapidated facade of the warehouse, letting the heels dangle from her fingers.

“In here, Rachel!” she heard Farah yell from the living room, undoubtedly hearing her approach. Grasping her shoes more firmly in her hand, she made her way to the room and pushed the door open.

All four of the vampires were strewn about the room, clearly waiting for her. Rachel pushed her hair out of her face, letting her shoes and bag drop onto a nearby chair. “Sorry about the wait, traffic was terrible.” She shrugged her jacket off as she drew the attention of the rest of the team.

“What were you even doing in the-  _ oh.  _ Well,  _ hello  _ Detective Marsden.”

Rachel glanced up to see Farah smirking at her, eyes full of delight as she took in her outfit. “What?” She asked, suddenly self-conscious under the vampire’s gaze.

Farah’s smirk grew even wider, that look in her eye that usually meant Rachel about to feel deeply embarrassed. “What’s the special occasion? I assume you didn’t dress up for us?” Her amber eyes seemed to glow with mischief. “Well, maybe not  _ all  _ of us.”

Rachel felt her cheeks burn and she looked anywhere but at the group of vampires in front of her. She deeply regretted not changing back into her normal clothes. She should have known better. 

“Damn, Rachel,” Morgan said from her spot perched on a nearby side table, a smirk curling her lips as the smoke from her cigarette curled around her face. “If I’d known you were hiding those legs this whole time, I would’ve-”

“Stop.” Nate held up a hand and glared at the woman. “Spare us all and don’t finish that sentence.”

Morgan just chuckled along with Farah and took another drag. Nate sighed, shaking his head before smiling at Rachel. “You look very nice. I’m sorry for disrupting your plans.”

Rachel waved away the apology, skin still warm from all the attention she wasn’t used to. She resisted the urge to tug her dress down further. “Don’t be. Work comes first.” She moved further into the room, looking up as she finally sought out the only one who hadn’t spoken yet. The only one who’s opinion truly mattered to her.

Adam was by the windows, as usual, arms crossed over his chest. But, unlike usual, he wasn’t staring out the window looking for any threats.

He was staring at her.

Her heart stuttered along with her steps and Rachel paused altogether as she seemed to freeze in place under his gaze. Adam’s lips were parted slightly as he looked at her, studied her,  _ devoured  _ her with his eyes. Those icy green eyes- normally so cold and distant- were instead filled with warmth and a million different emotions passing by so fast she couldn’t name them.

Her breath caught in her throat as Adam’s gaze travelled the length of her body, lingering on certain areas like her legs, the spots where her dress hugged her curves, her breasts, before eventually finding her face. He didn’t flinch to find Rachel already staring back at him, instead letting his eyes linger on her like he was trying to memorize her.

Everyone, everything else, faded away. It was just them. Only them.

And then Adam tore his gaze away so suddenly it was a miracle he didn’t get whiplash. 

He turned sharply on his heels, his back to her, and gazed intently out the window like she wasn’t even in the room anymore. Rachel felt her heart ache at the dismissiveness, but tried her best to shove the hurt and disappointment deep down within her, like she did with every other emotion he evoked. She swallowed hard, suddenly remembering that they weren’t the only two in the room.

Clearing her throat, Rachel echoed Adam’s movements and turned her back to him, facing the others. “So, you want to fill me in on the attacks?”

“Hang on there,” Farah said, still smirking, and Rachel groaned internally. She should have known she wouldn’t be left off the hook so easily. “You never explained why you’re all dolled up.”

Rachel rolled her eyes, propping a hand on her hip. “You’re right, Farah. Someone was attacked again, but what really matters is how I spend my Friday nights.”

Farah grinned, as though she appreciated the sarcasm but not enough to let it go. “I think someone was on a date.”

_ Crack! _

Everyone turned around to stare at Adam and the window behind him, a large crack fracturing it. His whole body was stiff, tense, and he pointedly refused to look at the rest of them. Rachel whirled away, feeling her face flush as Farah snickered. The vampire had clearly gotten the reaction she had wanted.

“If you _ must  _ know, Farah,” Rachel started between clenched teeth. “It’s Tina’s birthday today. She wanted to go out to celebrate. That’s all.”

She knew better than to mention the men they had met at the bar. Like Farah needed the ammunition.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam’s posture relax if only slightly. She pretended not to notice. “Now, can we please go back to focusing on the attacks?”

“Finally,” Morgan muttered, though her lips were still curled in a smirk and she let her eyes linger appreciatively on Rachel’s exposed legs.

_ Note to self,  _ she thought with an inward sigh.  _ Never wear a dress in front of Unit Bravo again. _

With a sigh, Rachel took a seat on the nearby sofa as Nate began to explain the situation. She crossed her legs and carefully arranged her dress so that her thighs were covered. Every now and then, though, she felt someone’s eyes on her only to look up and catch Adam glancing away.

“Farah and Morgan will go back to the scene and make sure there’s no trail to be picked up,” Adam was saying now, still not willing to even acknowledge Rachel. She wished it didn’t bug her as much as it did. “Nate will go with the detective to-”

Rachel’s phone chose that moment to start ringing. She frowned apologetically at the rest of the unit as she reached for it, not bothering to check who it was before she answered. It was past midnight, she figured it had to be important.

“Detective Marsden,” she said into her phone, tucking her hair behind her ear.

_ “Rachel? Hey, it’s Ben. From the bar?” _

She could feel Adam’s eyes on her, burning through her. She couldn’t look up to meet them. She took a deep breath and prayed that her face wasn’t as red as she thought it was. “Oh, uh, hey. Hold on a second.”

Without waiting for a reply, she put her phone on mute and turned back to the unit. She didn’t meet any of their eyes, but there was one person in particular she refused to look at. “I’ll be right back,” she muttered, turning on her heels and marching towards the door.

“Who’s Ben?” Farah called after her retreating figure, amusement gone from her voice and replaced with a frown.

Rachel ignored her question, letting the door shut behind her.

Adam watched Rachel leave, feeling like she had taken his heart with her.

He tried not to focus on the heavy knot in his stomach, tried not to think about who she was talking to on the phone, who she had been with that night. It wasn’t any of his business. He repeated that to himself three times before he noticed Farah looking at him. Instead of shooting him one of her usual nettling smirks, however, she was frowning in concern. This was far worse.

He turned sharply away, schooling his features back into one of indifference. “You have your assignment,” he barked at the youth. “Go.”

He felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder and he stiffened immediately at the contact. “You should tell her,” she murmured, her voice surprisingly soft.

Adam’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Tell who what, exactly?”

“Tell Rachel how beautiful she looks tonight,” Farah continued, and Adam practically turned to stone beneath her hand. Before he could argue, however- before he could deny the obvious- she let her hand slip from her shoulder and stepped away from him. “Because you’re not the only one who will notice.”

He frowned at her words, sounding far too much like a warning, but then the serious expression was gone from Farah and she was grinning once again. With one last wink and with Morgan skulking behind her, she was gone from the room. Adam felt his shoulders slump with a weight he had only just noticed was there.

“Will you be alright?”

Adam had almost forgotten Nate was still in the room and he instantly straightened. “Of course.” He crossed his arms behind his back, avoiding the other man’s gaze. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Nate didn’t answer, but the concerned frown on his face didn’t go away. He walked up to stand beside Adam, the older vampire stiffening even more at his presence. He placed his own hand on Adam’s shoulder, in the same spot Farah had moments earlier. The gesture seemed to say more than words ever could, and Adam fought to stay standing under the heaviness of it.

“If you’re sure,” was all Nate said, removing his hand before stepping away. He made his way to the door, pausing with his hand hovering over the handle. “Prepare yourself. You might not like what you’ll hear.” Another pause, and then a sigh. “You can’t blame her, old friend.”

He left Adam alone in the living room, despite the fact that he had never finished receiving his own assignment. His words made Adam shift in his spot and frown deeply, something in him aching desperately.

A few moments passed as Adam fought internally with himself. He knew he shouldn’t, knew that it was none of his concern, he knew Nate was right, and yet-

He closed his eyes and let the words of her conversation flow over him.

_ “Tina gave me your number. I hope that’s okay?” _

He didn’t recognize the voice of the man on the phone, though his stomach did tighten uncomfortably at the sound of it. He tried to ignore that feeling and instead focused on how Officer Poname was handing out the detective’s personal information. That would have to be put to an end. It was a security threat and Rachel’s phone number shouldn’t just be handed out to any strange man that asked for it-

“Yeah, it’s fine. What’s up? Did you need something?”

His frown deepened as he heard the sound of footsteps up and down a distant hallway. She was pacing. Was she nervous? Was- was she happy he called?

The thought made it feel like his ribs were being crushed into his heart and Farah’s earlier words slipped back into his head.  _ You’re not the only one who will notice. _

Deep down inside, he knew this was true. Rachel was- she was strong and brave, clever and compassionate. There was a magnetic quality to her, one that drew you in before you even realized, made you trust her before you could think better of it, made you want to tell her things-

He would be a fool to think that no one else would become entrapped by her. An even bigger one than he already was.

_ “-was just making sure you were okay.”  _ Adam silently cursed himself for losing focus. It happened far too often because of Rachel. 

“I’m fine” was her response. Her tone was unreadable and Adam hated that he had no way of knowing what she was thinking. “Something came up at work that I had to deal with, but everything’s fine.”

Adam’s hand came to rest on the back of a nearby chair, the coldness of metal practically freezing against his skin but it did little to distract him from Rachel’s conversation and the unease twisting at his insides.

_ “Good. That’s good.”  _ The man laughed awkwardly and Adam gritted his teeth. It was nonsensical to hate someone when you didn’t even know what they looked like, yet Adam felt a disdain bubble within him at every word that he spoke.  _ “But I was also calling because I… Ah, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink sometime? Or maybe dinner?” _

The cold metal in Adam’s hand suddenly twisted, molding and reshaping into something unrecognizable in his hands. After a second he released it, mind a blur as he stormed away, unwilling to hear Rachel’s answer.

And also terrified of it.

The living room was empty when Rachel returned, a heavy frown settling over her features as she stood in the doorway. She hadn’t been gone that long, had she? She’d tried to keep the conversation brief but also hadn’t wanted to be rude.

A twisted, deformed chair off to the side drew Rachel’s attention and understanding hit her like a truck.

She was walking towards the training room without a second thought. It was like she just knew that’s where he would be. She heard noises coming from inside the room as soon as she rounded the corner and took a deep breath to brace herself for the conversation ahead.

One dummy was already in pieces when Rachel gently pushed the door open. With a loud yell, another one joined it, shattering into splinters. Adam stood with his back facing her, breathing heavily and hands curled into fists at his sides.

A long minute passed in silence and Rachel knew it would be up to her to push this conversation forward. “Where did everyone go?” She asked, her voice soft as if she was trying to soothe a wounded animal.

Adam immediately tensed at her voice but didn’t move a muscle. “Farah and Morgan went to investigate the attack site. Nate…” he trailed off, only making Rachel’s frown deepen. “Nothing else can be done tonight. You should return home and get some rest.”

She shook her head, brushing strands of hair out of her face. “I’m already here, I can help-”

“It’s fine, Detective.” His voice cut through hers, the coldness in it making her pause. He slowly turned around to face her, expressionless as he stared down at her. But something flickered in his eyes that made her heart twinge, some pain that she couldn’t help but feel like the cause of.

If there had ever a doubt he had heard her conversation, it was gone.

“Besides,” he continued, glancing away and crossing his arms over his chest. “Your attention is clearly elsewhere.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow and crossed her own arms, unconsciously mirroring his movements. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Adam gritted his teeth but didn’t respond. After a second, Rachel just sighed and shook her head. She was in no mood to push him and he was clearly not in a mood to be pushed. “Fine. I’ll check in with Nate before I go.”

She turned around and made to leave when Adam’s next words stopped her. “Forming outside attachments will only endanger everyone involved.”

She came to a sudden halt. “Excuse me?” She asked, turning around slowly. She felt like a weight had been dropped in her stomach, something dragging her down.

Adam met her gaze, his eyes stern. “Involving yourself in a relationship- especially with someone outside of the agency- is risky. It won’t end well.”

She wasn’t sure what exactly it was in his words that angered her. If it was the certainty with which he said them, like he knew for a fact it would fail, or if it was the loaded context behind them. Either way, Rachel felt her hands curl into fists and an ember of anger spark inside of her.

“Why do you care?” She frowned, staring back hard at him. “How is it any of your business what I do in my personal time?”

Adam almost flinched, instead recovering to glare back. “It is my job to see to your safety, no matter how difficult you choose to make it at times.”

Rachel scoffed. “Oh, so this is about my safety now? That’s the only reason you care?” It was a challenge, one that made Adam’s jaw tighten and his eyes darken.

“Yes.” he growled, taking a step closer to her. “Meeting strangers in bars, giving them personal information- did it ever occur to you that they could be your enemies trying to hurt you? Trappers waiting to strike, waiting to try to take you from m- from the team?”

Rachel exhaled sharply, running a hand over her hair. “So, what? I should just spend the rest of my life alone, then? Would that be better?” She shot back, gritting her teeth.

His eyes narrowed at her tone and he took a step forward. “That’s not what I-”

“Is it really so weak of me? That I want someone to want me? That I want to be happy?” She hadn’t meant to say that, wasn’t sure where the words had even come from, but it was like something had been uncorked inside of her and she couldn’t stop whatever came pouring out.

Adam’s expression softened, the sternness in his eyes leaving. “Of course not. You-” he cut himself off and looked away. He took a deep breath before glancing back. “You deserve that.”

Rachel’s lips parted, surprise making the fight in her leave. “Deserve what?” she whispered, taking a step towards him. They were so close their chests almost brushed together.

It took Adam a moment to answer. She didn’t move an inch, afraid of breaking whatever spell they were both under. “Someone who can make you smile,” he answered finally, his eyes never leaving hers. The icy green had melted into a warm emerald and it took everything she had not to shiver under the intensity of his gaze. “Someone who makes you feel happy, makes you feel loved.”

She felt like the breath had been knocked out of her lungs. She was afraid to breathe, afraid to do anything that might scare him away. Slowly, eyes never straying away from her face, Adam raised his fingers to trace the length of her jaw. Rachel’s eyes fluttered shut and she breathed a soft sigh.

His fingers continued their exploration to brush along her cheekbones, running over the scattering of freckles across her nose. They stopped at her lips, his thumb running across them, tugging lightly.

"You deserve all of it," he whispered. "Everything."

Rachel felt her heart stop in her chest. She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid that he wouldn't be there if she did. Slowly, tentatively, she reached up towards his face, her fingers landing on his cheek. She heard him inhale sharply before leaning slightly into her hand.

"You're beautiful, Rachel," he murmured, his warm breath washing over her palm. Her breath stuttered, heart leaping into her throat.

Rachel swallowed hard, slowly opening her eyes to find that Adam was still there. His lips were barely an inch from hers. If she leaned forward even slightly she could finally find out how his lips would feel, what his mouth would taste like.

And then she was leaning forward, could feel his breath on her lips, and they were  _ so close- _

And then he was gone, pulling away and putting distance between them. Rachel had to hold back a whimper when his warmth disappeared, disappointment and rejection making her slump forward slightly.

“I said no.” The words tore from her throat before she could stop them. She heard Adam pause as he stormed towards the door, could just barely hear the soft sigh that escaped him, the meaning of her words not lost on him.

And then he was gone.

Rachel slumped forward, just barely making it to the bench a few feet away. She took a deep, ragged breath, resting her head in her hands.

Why did it feel like every time he left, he took her heart with him?


End file.
